Le Pain Quotidien

[split from thread about Cafe Traiteur]

Also - Le Pain de Quoitidan beside the Royal Festival Hall looks like a more corporate but quite attractive hang out. With excellent hours and LOADS of space.
Rock on South Bank...

Le Pain Quotidien is wonderful. I've been to a few in various places in Europe, and their bread (which they also do to take away, bakery-style) is gorgeous.

Am taking my mum there for lunch on Friday, and she's already excited!

I'd disagree that Le Pain Quotidien is corporate and would recommend it to anyone.

It's lovely. Yes, I'm sure business people go in there, but I wouldn't have said it would make a suitable venue for a business meeting at all, so I'm not too concerned about it getting overrun with suits.

They serve their (excellent) coffee in bowls, with a jug of hot steamed milk, it's fantastically authentic. The bread is organic and delicious and on the tables there are jars of the most fantastic praline spread I have ever tried - you can just help yourself. I order bread as an excuse to eat some of this fabulous praline spread. There are also lovely jams, etc, as well. You can buy bread, all of the spreads and preserves, and all manner of other lovely French / Belgian delicacies (olives, artichokes, etc).

The decor is (obviously) based around the arches - the exposed brick is lovely as ever. They even have Aveda handwash in the bathrooms (this made my day!).

A truly great addition to our lovely area.

According to their website they sell cider too!

Hi - just to clarify my original post was comparing Le Pain to a cute little one-off place on Lower Marsh called Cafe Traiteur. So I didn't mean to call Le Pain corporate - it's just more of a chain than the other family run French place.

i've been to LPQ on marylebone high street and thought it really sucked. poilane is the best bread only place in town. st john bread and wine the is best best place for bread plus a good menu.

Birdie wrote:

According to their website they sell cider too!

when are we going?

And one of the few opportunities to spend £12 on a loaf of bread!

We've been a couple of times, and it is great, although a lttle pricey. Having said that you get a generous basket of various breads for 4.50, with several fantastic spreads (jam, mamalade, praline etc), enough for a hearty breakfast for two. But if you're used to Maria's cafe prices, it may be a bit of a shock.

Not quite as atmospheric as Rue Des Archives in Paris, definitely our favourite LPQ branch, but on a warm weekend morning it's still pretty good to sit outside and dream a little... more info at http://www.lepainquotidien.com/

It'll be better yet when the Festival Hall refurb is finished and the scaffolding has gone - that upper deck is shaping up nicely with the fountain, Las Iguanas and Le Pain Quotidien. Interested to see what will be in the neighbouring premises.

Mark.

I have been twice to LPQ and have been dissappointed. Dry croissant and bitter coffee, and incredibly slow service for takeaway items!

The area is coming on really well though. I think more eating/coffee places and a shop are in the offing for the remaining units. They'll also be a new cafe in the RFH when it reopens which will spill onto the paved area at the front over looking the river.

Just had lunch with my mum at LPQ. It was wonderful. I had a prawn/avocado/salsa/mango tartine and the most beautiful carrot cake. Highly recommended (plus, they have aveda rosemary and mint handwash in their loos, which is worth a visit in itself...)